Fri, 30 May 2008 14:00:02 GMT
Lawyer asks for speedy trial in Cottonwood bus crash

MARSHALL, Minn. (AP) The lawyer for the woman charged in the fatal bus crash in southwestern Minnesota has filed a motion demanding a speedy trial for his client.

Olga Marina Franco del Cid of Minneota has been in the Lyon County Jail since her arrest on February 20. She's charged with four counts of criminal vehicular homicide.

Attorney Manuel Guerrero cites the length of her stay, says prosecutors have failed to return phone calls and provide him with their evidence against his client.

Guerrero is demanding the trial start within 60 days of May 21st.

Lyon County Attorney Rick Maes says he's returned Guerrero's calls and will provide the accident reconstruction report mentioned in his filing when it's completed.

Four children from Lakeview School in Cottonwood died when a van ran a stop sign and hit their school bus February 19. Prosecutors say Franco was driving the van, but she claims it was her boyfriend. He hasn't been found.

Information from: Independent, http://www.marshallindependent.com


(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. In the interest of timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain occasional typographical errors. )

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